Long Time Since Last Posting

It has been a long time since I've posted on my blog page, life has been pretty busy.

The weather is perfect now, high 60s to low 70s with sunshine and most days the air pollution isn't to bad. It almost makes the last 5 months of sweating seem not so bad as I have been able to be outside most weekends.
I've had first two visitors, my cousin Julie and my friend Mark (former co-worker in Fargo, blackjack dealer). Both stayed with me and I played tour guide.


Julie came to Hong Kong for work, she worked during the day and we played at night and on the weekend. We didn't play the typical tourist but she did experience some of the sites and nuiances of Hong Kong. We attended a wine tasting dinner event which was very nice and she had an opportunity to meet a couple of my friends (Rachel and Cathy). We had a blast and a little too much to drink...

Julie and my friend Rachel , other picture is my friend Cathy's Dad and I (I had a few too many glasses of wine)












We took a train to Shenzhen to do a little shopping and relax with a massage. On Sunday we had brunch with my friends on the floating resturant called Jumbo. It was a lovely day, really great food, and wonderful company. Julie left shortly after brunch and flew to Australia for work.
Brunch at Jumbo

A few days later my friend Mark arrived and I had scheduled 4 days of being tourists. Mark had a few issues with getting to Hong Kong (forgot to pick up his passport at the Toyko airport and almost didn't get on the plane and had a "little" disagreement with the airline "Purser") but thankfully he arrived safely.

We went to Lantau Island and took the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car up to see Big Budda.












It is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha. The statue is located near Po Lin Monastery and symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China. The Buddha statue sits on a lotus throne on top of a three-platform altar. It is surrounded by eight smaller bronze statues representing gods or immortals. Like the Daibutsu in Kamakura, Japan, the Tian Tan Buddha is an image of Amitabha Buddha.



The Buddha is 34 metres (110 ft) tall, weighs 250 metric tons (280 short tons), and was the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007. Visitors have to climb 268 steps in order to reach the Buddha. The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction. His left hand rests on his lap in a gesture of giving dhana. The Buddha faces north, which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face south.
In addition, there are 3 floors beneath the Buddha statue: The Hall of Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit, and The Hall of Remembrance. One of the most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. There is a huge carved bell inscribed with images of Buddhas in the show room. It was designed to ring every seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations.
History
The Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in 1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the birthday of Gautama Buddha, the historic Buddha. The construction costs of the giant Buddha were estimated to be up to $68 million. It was formed out of 202 separate pieces of bronze. In addition to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside the statue to support the heavy load and wind pressure.

After Budda we stopped at Tai O fishing village. The 4000 residents or Tankas of the Tai O fishing village on Lantau Island live a long life, because they say they are carefree and do not worry about tomorrow. They say they have no worries..."we wake up poor and end the day rich because we go fishing in the morning and sell our catch in the afternoon." Their homes or Pangwus are built above the water on stilts because they are afraid to live on the land. We left as the sun was setting lower in the sky and a fisherman was coming in from his afternoon catch



Next day we did a tour of the New Territories, we visited the Yuen Yuen Institute, a large monastery complex housing the three predominant local religions - Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Then it's out into the countryside, going up to Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest mountain peak, which provides inspiring panoramic views. Over the mountain lies a lush valley of orchards and vegetable farms.

We stopped at Bride Pool Falls, Mark almost fell into the water below due to slippery footing but he still took a nice photo (you can't see the back of his pants:))
Mark also experienced the Peak Tram which took us up to the side of the hill to the top to get the best view of Hong Kong at night. I never get tired of the view.


It was wonderful to have both of my visitors travel so far to spend time with me and for them to share my life and experiences while in Hong Kong.

Peng Chau Island

Sunday, October 26th

I joined a group who organize leisure walks around Hong Kong and the outlying islands. There are around 220 islands, not sure I have enough time to visit all of them but I will try my best. Here are a few photos from our "hike". We came across fish and squid hanging out to dry, it was an usual site and very smelly. Next weekend we have another outing.

Back in Hong Kong

I arrived back in Hong Kong Tuesday, October 21st around 11:30 pm after a long yet uneventful flight (thank goodness). I was lucky enough to see Mt. McKinley in all her glory (not quickly enough to get a photo) and a beautiful sunset as we landed in Tokyo.

My vacation was wonderful, my laptop stayed in Hong Kong so I could really spend my time with family. I left Hong Kong Tuesday, October 7th (Holiday in Hong Kong, not sure what we were celebrating but any day off is a celebration!!!) was bumped up to first class (second floor of a 747) and truly enjoyed being able to stretch out and sleep. The food is so much better in first class but not worth the $4000+ you pay for a first class ticket vs economy. We arrived in Tokyo an hour early so a lady whom I met on the flight and I headed to the NWA lounge and enjoyed a free buffet before our next flight. I wasn't so lucky on my flight from Tokyo to MN, I sat in economy but had an empty seat between myself and my isle mate so I could stretch out a little. Again, we arrived about an hour early to MN airport. After customs, getting my luggage, and rental car I was on the road by noon, heading to Mankato. Stopped in at work to visit with friends, ran a few errands, and had dinner at a friends house which was really enjoyable. Not enough time with friends but it was nice to spend a couple hours together.

Wednesday, October 7th slept in and then headed to Lamberton to see my 97 year old Grandma who is really lovely to visit with. We had lunch and chatted for a couple hours about family and my life in Hong Kong. After my visit I headed north to East Grand Forks to stay with my younger sister Polly and her family.

I spent several days at my sisters hanging out with her family, what a busy household (4 boys between the ages of 8-3.5 yrs.). On Saturday, Polly and I attended the morning at soccer games.

Cullen (age 5.5 yrs) in yellow (picture on the left) is a star soccer player, loves the game and runs like a mad man!!! William (almost 8) has fun playing soccer (picture on the right, second from the left and Corey is the coach). Williams game was cut short because it started to rain. We headed home to warm up and grab something to eat before Michael's where we are going to decorate pumpkins with all 4 boys

Proud of their pumpkin creations, left to right: Kaven (3.5 yrs), Cullen (5.5 yrs), William almost 8, Dawson (3.5 yrs).

After we get the boys home, Polly and I have the rest of the day/night to celebrate her birthday (30 years) because I won't be there for her actual celebration. We get pedicures/manicures and relax and enjoy quiet time. Afterwards we play a little blackjack which we quickly lose our investment and hit a couple bars before meeting up with her friends. We met her friends at a bar in downtown Grand Forks and have a blast dancing the night away.

Sunday, October 12 - celebrating Thanksgiving

Since I will be in Hong Kong over Thanksgiving I wanted a chance to have one of my favorite meals. We had the full meal, turkey, mashed potatoes/gravy, stuffing, and corn. It was fantastic topped off with a small slice of apple pie (my favorite). It was the first time Polly or I made stuffing, I gotta say it turned out pretty good (still not as good as Moms).

Monday, October 13 - Thief River Falls

I took the twins with me and to TRF and stayed at my Moms house. My brother Dan is flying home tomorrow (lives in Kodiak, Alaska) for Mom's birthday celebration.

Tuesday, the twins and I spend the afternoon raking (and playing in) leaves.

Thursday, October 16th - Sunday, October 19

Dan and I drove to Baxter, MN for the birthday celebration weekend with all of my family with the exception of one nephews. We had a blast with the kids in the water park, playing cards, antique shopping, and just hanging out with each other. It was a wonderful weekend and I'm thankful my family was able to all be together to celebrate my Mom's 75th birthday.

Heading on vacation

I am flying back to the US tomorrow (Tuesday) for a nice long family vacation. Will be back to HK 10/21.
Have a great two weeks:)

Hong Kong Holiday

Wednesday, October 1st was a National Holiday and a day off for me!!! Lihui & I decided to go hiking on Lamma Island. I took the ferry across the harbour to meet Lihui in Hong Kong and we waited in line to catch the ferry to Lamma which was about a 20 minute ride. The day was cooler than normal thank goodness but the air pollution was high causing the sky to be overcast. We arrived around noon and decided to have a quick bite before heading out. We ordered prawn dim sum, pork rib w/rice, and steamed starch with turnips (see photo below). I tried the steamed starch dish but had to pass on a second bite, didn't care for it (weird texture and no flavor)








The path to the hiking trail was lined with little shops selling everything from clothing to fresh seafood to souvenirs. As you can see by the photo below how large the prawns are (Lihui has her fingers in the photo) to give you an idea of the dimension. During our walk we also tried Curry Fish Balls, interesting flavor, strange texture.













The hike took us about 1.5 hours, slight incline in some areas but not too strenuous. The first photo below are fish farms around the little shops where the ferry docks to take people off the island. The other photo is at the top of the hike looking down at the China sea.

After our hike we took the ferry over to Aberdeen but just walked around didn't find anything too interesting. We jumped on a bus which took us back to Central (an area in Hong Kong) where we found a great Vietnamese restaurant and I had one of my top meals since I've been here. We ordered shredded chicken Pho which had noodles, shredded chicken, scallions, cilantro, and mint. The flavor was so good!!! We also had prawn spring rolls and for dessert peanut butter toasted bread with condensed milk poured on top. Interesting but good. Overall it was a very nice day and I had the opportunity to get to know Lihui better.

Modern Toilet

Tuesday, September 30th
Since Wednesday is a holiday in Hong Kong and China (China Nationalization 1949) we decided to get together for dinner. Belinda, Lihui and I met at Modern Toilet which was a very entertaining atmostphere, but the food wasn't as appealing. Thought I'd share some photos with you.
Photo 1 Belinda sitting at our table










Photo 2 Toilet plunger ceiling fixture
Photo 3 Toilet seats artwork wall fixture












Photo 4 Urinal artwork on the walls
Photo 5 Lihui and her Beef Curry Hot Pot Toilet
Photo 6 My drink
Photo 7 Deep fried prawn spring rolls - yummy












Photo 8 My Beef Hot Pot Toilet
Photo 9 Dessert - chocolate turd:)

It has been awhile

Tuesday, September 23rd, I experienced my third typhoon, Hagupit. I awoke to a cloudy day with light rain. The TV had a T3 posted (which means within 12 hours the typhoon will pass over land). I received an e-mail around noon from my colleague Vivian saying the typhoon center will issue a level 8 between 6-8 pm. (Level 8 typhoon - Gale or storm force wind is expected or blowing generally in Hong Kong near sea level, with a sustained wind speed of 63-117 km/h from the quarter indicated and gusts which may exceed 180 km/h, and the wind condition is expected to persist)

When a level 8-10 is issued, the city basically shuts down. Offices close, transportation is shut down, and the only the brave (or stupid) venture out. I stayed in, worked, and went to bed at a decent time. It was difficult sleeping because of the noise (wind). At first I thought it was one of my neighbors playing guitar loudly but I realized it was the wind. I live on the 20th floor and outside my windows are these large steel cross bars which hold "decorative" curved steel bans about a foot thick. It was the wind "plucking" these steel cross bars which I was hearing. I put my earplugs in and went to sleep after about a half an hour. The city/area of Guangzhou (2 hour train ride south west of HK) took the brunt of the typhoon, causing severe damage.
Thursday, September 25 - Ningbo
I flew to Ningbo, arrived around 8 pm (my flight was delayed 1.5 hrs), went out to dinner with Henry, one of my vendors. Dinner was interesting, we had our own room with a chef cooking in front of us. For dinner we had duck liver in an egg which was cooked in its shell (steamed) the egg tasted like custard with fish roe on top. Interesting but not my favorite. We also had a thin slice of beef lightly grilled with fish roe inside, steamed scallops, more duck liver, veggies, and dessert was grilled bananas with fire ice cream (they place the ice cream on the griddle, pour alcohol over it and light it on fire. It all was very French. After dinner we went for our foot massage which was nice but I think my masseuse massaged some new areas because I was so sore that night I couldn't sleep. I was also up late watching the US news and was fixated on what was happening to the economy.
Friday, September 26 - YiWu
Today we drove to YiWu to check out some new factories. I was with Andy and Sally who work for one of our contacts in China. The drive was about 2 hours north of Ningbo and the plan was to start out at a large market to search for stationery vendors. This market was the size of two football fields in length and 5 stores high. You can find anything you ever wanted and more...After a couple of hours walking the market, we found a couple companies we wanted to visit. we stopped off for a quick lunch and then to the first factory. I have to explain about the driver Andy, he has only been to YiWu once before so he would call the factory to get directions and then stop every 5 minutes or so and ask people along the rode for directions. We visited 6 different factories and Andy had to ask directions for each factory at least 5-10 times. I swear, God was looking down and smiling knowing that he had not blessed me with the virtue of patience. The worst part of the whole day was trying to find the interstate to go back to Ningbo, this took us 1 hour and probably stopped 20 times to ask for directions. After 9 hours of being tested, all I could do is laugh because there was nothing I could do.
Saturday, September 27 - Whenzhou
Robert picked me up around 8:45 (he was a little late) and we hit the road for a supposedly 3.5 hour drive. The first 1/2 hour was no problem then we ran into a traffic jam, which was caused by semis pulling over for the diesel truck stop exit 5-6 miles ahead. We sat there for about 20-25 minutes. This happened 3 times during our trip there but a 3.5 hr drive turned into 5.5 hrs. We arrived around 2:30 in the afternoon. We quickly visited 7 factories, had dinner and started back to Ningbo around 7 pm. About 1 hour into our drive we run into a traffic jam which we sit in our cars for 2 hours. Can you image sitting on a highway for 2 hours waiting for an accident to be cleared? Again, God was testing me. And the driving, 150km/hr in the dark weaving in and out of traffic. Needless to say, I could not relax or sleep. We arrived back to Ningbo and to my hotel around 1:30 am.
Sunday, September 28th
I had a meeting in the morning with one of my vendors and flew back to Hong Kong. I was very happy to be home. Picked up sushi for dinner and crawled into bed around 9 pm.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Sunday, September 14th

The weather has been warm, 90+ temperature but feels like 100+ degrees and the air pollution is rather high.

Just got home half hour ago from Stanley Market.

I met Lihui, Belinda, and Rachel around 4 o'clock, we took the bus to Stanley Market and celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival. We strolled the little shops, walked down to the beach, and had a very nice dinner. After dinner we lit our lanterns (actual candles inside) and walked along the water under the full moon. Most people carried battery operated lights and had some really fun "lanterns". After our stroll we shared a Moon Cake which is part of the tradition. I gotta tell you, this is will not make my favorite things list.

A little history regarding the Festival:

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually in October in Gregorian calendar.

The festival has a long history. In ancient China, emperors followed the rite of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn. Historical books of the Zhou Dynasty had had the word "Mid-Autumn". Later aristocrats and literary figures helped expand the ceremony to common people. They enjoyed the full, bright moon on that day, worshipped it and expressed their thoughts and feelings under it. By the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Mid-Autumn Festival had been fixed, which became even grander in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it grew to be a major festival of China.

Folklore about the origin of the festival go like this: In remote antiquity, there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi was much worried about this, he ascended to the top of the Kunlun Mountain and, directing his superhuman strength to full extent, drew his extraordinary bow and shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was respected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts from him. A person named Peng Meng lurked in them.

Hou Yi had a beautiful and kindhearted wife named Chang E. One day on his way to the Kunlun Mountain to call on friends, he ran upon the Empress of Heaven Wangmu who was passing by. Empress Wangmu presented to him a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one would ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being. Hou Yi, however, hated to part with his wife. So he gave the elixir to Chang E to treasure for the time being. Chang E hid the parcel in a treasure box at her dressing table when, unexpectedly, it was seen by Peng Meng.

One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting, Peng Meng, sword in hand, rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over the elixir. Aware that she was unable to defeat Peng Meng, Chang E made a prompt decision at that critical moment. She turned round to open her treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground, dashed out of the window and flew towards heaven. Peng Meng escaped.

When Hou Yi returned home at dark, he knew from the maidservants what had happened. Overcome with grief, Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife when, to his surprise, he found that the moon was especially clear and bight and on it there was a swaying shadow that was exactly like his wife. He tried his best to chase after the moon. But as he ran, the moon retreated; as he withdrew, the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all. Once a year, on the 15th day of the full moon, Houyi visits his wife. That is why, that night, the moon is full and beautiful.

Moon Cakes

Today, Chinese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with dances, feasting and moon gazing. Not to mention mooncakes. While baked goods are a common feature at most Chinese celebrations, mooncakes are inextricably linked with the Moon festival. One type of traditional mooncake is filled with lotus seed paste Roughly the size of a human palm, these mooncakes are quite filling, meant to be cut diagonally in quarters and passed around. A word of caution: the salty yolk in the middle, representing the full moon, is an acquired taste. Definitely an acquired taste!!!! Not one of my favorites.

Lijiang

Lijiang, China - A devastating 1996 earthquake brought world attention to this beautiful city, located in China's southwestern province of Yunnan. Almost a third of Lijiang was destroyed, prompting a massive reconstruction effort and, in part, leading to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Lijiang is one of China's most unique cities - culturally, ethnically, and architecturally. The city's Old Town, or "Dayan Old Town," is precious. Cobblestone streets, wooden homes and cafes practically spill out into narrow canals which wind past water wheels and under weeping willows. Lijiang presents a quaint, picturesque urban area - an increasingly rare sight in China.

The Naxi Kingdom makes its capital here in Lijiang. The ethnic minority number slightly less than 300,000, yet their small numbers belie their impact on Chinese history and legend. Until recently, groups within their culture were matriarchal - women ran the show; inheritances passed down from mother to eldest daughter; businesses were run by - if not owned and controlled by - women.

Tiger Leaping Gorge: As legend has it, a hunted tiger escaped certain death by leaping across the River of Golden Sands ("Jinsha Jiang"), smartly choosing the gorge's narrowest point. Hiking trails line the gorge, providing breathtaking views - and breath-taking climbs!

Wednesday, August 20th

I took the 8:30 a.m. train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou (1.40 hours), taxi to the airport (45 minute drive), fly from Guangzhou to Kunming (2 hours), fly from Kunming to Lijiang (45 minutes), grab a taxi to my hotel (40 minute drive). I arrived around 6 pm to our quaint hotel which use to be someone's home converted to hotel rooms. The rooms were ok, probably a two star establishment.

Robert (my traveling buddy) was already at the hotel so we headed out for dinner as I was starving. We find a place which serves pots of boiling water and you add a bunch of stuff to the pot to make a "soup". Lijiang area is famous for their mushrooms which I am not a fan of but I figure while in China...Robert selected the ingredients included the famous black chicken, 6 types of mushrooms, veggies, fish, and some other items which I still have no idea what they were. It was delicious with the exception of the chicken, Robert ate the leg.

After dinner we walked around and came across some great buildings which were lit up with an orange glow. We had stumbled across the area which is called "Old Town" and it was beautiful.

We strolled the area checking out shops where most items are handmade right in the shop by artists. As we strolled we heard the sound of singing, music and loud clapping which caught out attention. We stopped and watched different performers in a large bar and decided to participate. We quickly learned what the loud noise was, instead of clapping your hands we were given small wood blocks to hit on the table. It was a fun night, we met several people at tables next to us and many clinking of glass and "cheers" were heard all through the night. Got home around midnight.

Thursday, August 21st

The plan for today was to hit "Old Town" during the daylight and visit Ma (Moo) Summer Palace. We opted for a guide to tell us about the area and help us find our way through the winding streets.

After "Old Town" we walked to see The Black Dragon Pool which was very beautiful (see photo).

Afterwards Robert wanted to go horse back riding in the mountains which I was not really dressed for (wearing shorts), I thought we were heading back to the hotel and change but no we headed to where the horses were, guess you gotta go with the flow...We had a guide on foot who led the trail horses, it was the two of us and the guide. We went up into the mountains, and there were many waterfalls and small streams, it is quite relaxing until my horse lost its footing and almost slipped back down the mountain. After that fun filled moment we continued up the mountain until we came to a clearing with a lake. This is where we had lunch, corn on the cob and fried bread, made by the women in the "camp".

It was an hour back down the mountains and to the lake where we were going for a boat ride.

By this time I was so over horseback riding, my back end and inner thighs were very sore but after the boat ride we still had a 45 minute ride back to our car. There were around 100 others who had arrived before us relaxing and out on the lake. Our guide was our gondolier, it was a beautiful day with amazing views of the mountains. We bought grilled minnows from a fisherman on the lake and I ate one, a little too fishy for me. We got back on our horses and rode back to where we started. It was a long day and I was very tired. We decided to try and find some Italian or Western food, I opted for a club sandwich, fries, and a chocolate shake. We had booked a bus tour to Shangri-La and Banyu Mountains for Friday and Saturday.

Friday, August 22nd

The bus tour left around 8:30 a.m., there are 29 of us 25 are Chinese, 3 from Italy and me. Our guide only speaks Chinese so Robert had to translate for me. The Friday tour included visiting Lashi lake (beginning of the Yantzee River), Leaping Tiger Gorge, and Shangri-La.

Our first stop was at Leaping Tiger Gorge,

it is around 15 km in length, the gorge is located where the river passes between 5,596 metre Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 5,396 m Haba Xueshan in a series of rapids under steep 2000 metre cliffs. Legend says that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres wide), hence the name. We had to walk down around 200 steps to view the rapids and walk back up 200 steps which was a little more difficult. You could pay to have two men carry you down and carry you back up, it looked quite nice but I opted instead for the exercise. It was nice once I caught my breath at the top. We stopped for lunch (rice, veggies, tea, and chicken) which was ok and quickly we were back on the road. The drive took us through and up many mountains, it was a very beautiful drive. We arrived in Shangri-La around 4:00 and to our "4 star" hotel around 4:30. The hotel was more like a 2 star but at least I had my own bathroom.

At 5:00 we headed to a Tibet traditional house for a Tibet dinner which sounded rather interesting. As we were arriving we were told how to do the traditional blessing, dip your right ring finger into the wine and flick to the sun, dip again and flick to the earth, dip a third time and flick to the moon. As we got out of the bus we were greeting by an older woman who placed a white scarf around our necks and sang a song of greeting, we moved on to our wine blessing and up the stairs to the large room for dinner. There were hundreds of people gathered in the room and we sat at long thin tables where food and jugs of wine were placed in front of us. The wine I believe is called highland barley wine which tasted like everclear but tasted better than the milk tea they gave us. We had ordered the beef which came from the Tibet buffalo, it was rather dry and tough, the fried potatoes were good. There were singers and dancers which was very entertaining, my tour group was the loudest group, we were tough a cheer which we sang rather frequently as "cheers" (gumbay) and drinking the wine was done after the song. We all danced with the dancers and had a really great time. We got back to our hotel around 8:30 pm and had to be up and ready to go at 6 a.m.

Saturday, August 23rd

Our first stop was at a store to pick up supplies. Since we were heading up into the mountains, elevation 4,150m or 13,615ft we had to stop and pick up 2 cans of oxygen per person plus jackets for those who did not bring along a warm jacket. We had to inhale one can of oxygen before getting to the top of the mountain and keep the second with us as we walked. Because Robert was not feeling well this morning I was going to be traveling with two girls who sat behind me on the bus and spoke English. We arrived at Potatso National Park and waited for a bus. First we hit a beautiful lake (unfortunately I can not remember the name) took some

pictures headed back to the bus to drive higher into the mountains and stopped a couple more times to take in the views. We were taken to the top and dropped off to walk around Bita Lake which was 4.5 miles but a beautiful and relaxing walk. I talked with my new friends as they practiced their English and I "worked" on my Mandrin. As we finished our walk we had a little snack of fried bread and corn on the cob. We headed back down the mountain to where our busy was and the rest of our group. The bus took us back the way we came but i was able to enjoy the view I missed on the way up, it was breathtaking.

Of course the driving took your breath away also, buses passing going around blind corners and narrow roads way up high in the mountains. We arrived back to Lijiang around 6 pm and decided to have dinner with the 3 Italians (son works/lives in China, mother and father here visiting). The goal was to have Greek dinner but the mother was not interested once she saw the pan of worms. So we suggested the Western resturant we hit the other night. After dinner we headed down to "Old Town" and the bar we hit Wednesday night. We had a few drinks and danced with the locals, it was a nice ending to a great trip.